Abstract: Polytetrahydrofuran, tetrahydrofuran copolymers, diesters or monoesters of these polymers are prepared by polymerizing tetrahydrofuran in the presence of at least one telogen and/or comonomer on a heterogeneous carrier catalyst which contains on an oxidic carrier material as active mass a catalytically active amount of at least one oxygenous molybdenum and/or tungsten compound and, when the precursor compounds of the active mass have been applied to the carrier material precursor, has been calcined at temperatures of between 500° C. and 1000° C. The catalyst used contains a promotor which comprises at least one element or a compound of an element of the 2nd, 3rd including the lanthanides, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th or 14th group of the periodic system of elements.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for the carbonylation of an alcohol, ether or ester to products comprising a carboxylic acid, the anhydride thereof or coproduction of the carboxylic acid and anhydride. More particularly, the present invention provides a process for the carbonylation of methanol to produce acetic acid by reacting methanol with carbon monoxide in a liquid reaction medium containing a catalyst comprising rhodium, iridium, iodide ion, and said reaction medium further comprising water, acetic acid, methyl iodide, and methyl acetate and subsequently recovering acetic acid from the resulting reaction product.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of an enantiomerically enriched 2-substituted succinic acid derivative of formula 2, which comprises asymmetric hydrogenation of the dehydro precursor of formula 7 or 8, or a mixture thereof wherein R1 and R2 are independently H, a salt-forming cation, or an organic group of up to 30 C atoms, and R3 and R4 are independently H or an organic group of up to 30 C atoms, provided that R3 and R4 are not both H, in the presence of a transition metal complex of a chiral phosphine ligand having the partial formula 10 wherein n is 0 to 6 and R represents at least one non-hydrogen organic group of up to 30 C atoms.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the selective preparation of acetic acid from a gaseous feed comprising ethane, ethylene or mixtures thereof plus oxygen at elevated temperature, which comprises bringing the gaseous feed into contact with a catalyst comprising the elements Mo, Pd, X and Y in gram atom ratios a:b:c:d in combination with oxygen MoaPdbXcYd  (I) where the symbols X and Y have the following meanings: X is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of: Cr, Mn, Nb, Ta, Ti, V, Te and/or W, in particular Nb, V and W; Y is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of: B, Al, Ga, In, Pt, Zn, Cd, Bi, Ce, Co, Cu, Rh, Ir, Au, Ag, Fe, Ru, Os, K, Rb, Cs, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Zr, Hf, Ni, P, Pb, Sb, Si, Sn, TI and U, in particular Ca, Sb, Te and Li. The present invention further provides a catalyst for the selective preparation of acetic acid comprising the elements Mo, Pd, X and Y in the gram atom ratios a:b:c:d in combination with oxygen.

Abstract: Process for the production of lower aliphatic esters by bringing together in an addition reaction a lower olefin and a saturated, lower aliphatic, mono-carboxylic acid in the vapor phase into contact with a heterpolyacid catalyst. The reactant olefin and acids and any recycled feeds are rendered substantially free of aldehydes impurities prior to being brought into contact with the heterpolyacid catalyst. Acetaldehyde is a catalyst poison and removal of these from the feeds prolongs life and activity of the heteropolyacid catalyst.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of 3-chloro-4-fluorobenzoyl chloride which comprises reacting 4-fluorobenzaldehyde with a chlorinating agent in the presence of a free-radical initiator in the presence or absence of a solvent at from −20 to 200° C. to give 4-fluorobenzoyl chloride, and reacting the 4-fluorobenzoyl chloride with a chlorinating agent in the presence of a chlorination catalyst in the presence or absence of a solvent at from −20 to 200° C. to give 3-chloro-4-fluorobenzoyl chloride.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an improved process for the preparation of a compound of formula (I) wherein R is alkyl, n is 0 to 2, m is 1 to 4 and A is alkyl, interrupted or uninterrupted alkylene, alkanetriyl or pentaerythrityl, by transesterifying the corresponding lower alkyl with a higher alkanol of the formula A-(OH)m in the presence of a tin catalyst; wherein the improvement comprises reacting the tin catalyzed transesterification reaction mass with a carboxylic acid or hydrate thereof neat, in the absence of an aqueous medium, until the tin catalyst forms an insoluble derivative, and then separating the insoluble derivative from the reaction mass by filtration without the assistance of a filtration aid. The invention allows for a convenient method by which to remove the residual tin catalyst from the substituted hydroxyphenylcarboxylic acid ester compounds of formula (I).

Abstract: A process for preparing a catalyst comprises: admixing metal compounds, at least one of which is an oxygen containing compound, and at least one solvent to form a solution; removing the solvent from the solution to obtain a catalyst precursor; and calcining the catalyst precursor under an inert atmosphere to form a catalyst having the formula AaMmNnXxOo wherein a, m, n, x and o are the molar proportions of A, M, N, X and O, respectively, and o is dependent on the oxidation state of the elements A, M, N and X, wherein A is Mo, W, Fe, Nb, Ta, Zr, Ru or mixtures thereof, M is V, Ce, Cr or mixtures thereof, N is Te, Bi, Sb, Se or mixtures thereof, and X is Nb, Ta, W, Ti, Al, Zr, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ru, Co, Rh, Ni, Pd, Pt, Sb, Bi, B, In, Ce or mixtures thereof. The catalyst is useful for the gas phase oxidation of alkanes to unsaturated aldehydes or carboxylic acids.

Abstract: Acetic acid and/or vinyl acetate are produced by an integrated process in which a gaseous feedstock comprising ethylene and/or ethane and optionally steam is contacted in a first reaction zone (step (a)) with a molecular oxygen-containing gas in the presence of a catalyst active for the oxidation of ethylene to acetic acid and/or ethane to acetic acid and ethylene to produce a first product stream comprising acetic acid, water and ethylene (either as unreacted ethylene and/or as co-produced ethylene) and optionally also ethane, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and/or nitrogen.

Abstract: A process for the production and purification of acetic acid by carbonylation of methanol, DME or reactive derivatives thereof in a distillation column containing a homogenous catalyst system.

Abstract: An improved process for preparing acrylate esters, methacrylate esters, polyester acrylates or polyester methacrylates by reacting acrylic or methacrylic acid with a monohydroxy containing compound or a polyhydroxy containing compound in the presence of a catalyst and polymerization inhibitor in a reaction vessel, in the presence or absence of a solvent, under microwave energy as a heating source. Advantages of using microwave energy in place of conventional thermal heating include higher temperatures coupled with shorter residence times, reduced production costs, increased capacity, lower energy costs, effective use of raw materials, and solventless processing which is environmentally friendly.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process for producing allyl 2-hydroxyisobutyrate useful as a raw material for agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals, which comprises reacting methyl 2-hydroxyisobutyrate with allyl alcohol preferably by means of reactional distillation in the presence of a transesterification catalyst preferably comprising titanium tetramethoxide or titanium tetraisopropoxide under solventless mild reaction conditions including a reaction temperature in the range of 80 to 150.degree. C. and a reaction time in the range of 10 minutes to 12 hours. The process enables efficient and easy production of the objective allyl 2-hydroxxyisobutyrate in high yield and high efficiency without the need of troublesome operations.

Abstract: A mixed metal oxide Mo--V--Ga--Pd--Nb--X (where X=La, Te, Ge, Zn, Si, In or W) catalytic system providing a higher selectivity to acrylic acid in the low temperature partial oxidation of propane with a molecular oxygen-containing gas.

Abstract: A method for the vapor-phase carbonylation of lower alkyl alcohols to esters and optionally, carboxylic acids using a catalyst having a platinum on a solid support material as a first component and a vaporous halide as a second component. Desirably, the catalyst includes platinum on an activated carbon support and the vaporous halide is selected from hydrogen halides, alkyl halides and aryl halides having up to 12 carbon atoms, and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: Catalyst for dehydrogenating amino alcohols to aminocarboxylic acids or ethylene glycol (derivatives) to oxycarboxylic acids, said catalyst containing zirconium, copper and possibly an additional metal, whereby the cited metals are precipitated as hydroxides, washed, dried, calcined, and reduced, preparable in that zirconium hydroxide is precipitated from an aqueous zirconium salt solution using a base until a pH of 4 to 10 is attained, the aqueous solution of a copper salt and possibly of an additional salt is added to the zirconium hydroxide suspension, and by adding further base copper hydroxide and possibly the hydroxide of the metal contained in the additional salt is precipitated until a pH of 8 to 14 is attained, the suspension obtained is filtered, washed, dried, calcined in air at 450 to 600.degree. C. for 2 to 4 hours and finally reduced at 200 to 250.degree. C. in a hydrogen stream for 2 to 4 hours.

Abstract: A mixed metal oxide catalytic system consisting of molybdenum, vanadium, lanthanum and palladium providing higher yields of acetic acid in low temperature single stage oxidation of ethane with molecular oxygen-containing gas without or with reduced production of by-products such as ethylene and CO.

Abstract: One aspect of the present invention relates to a method of making vinyl acetate monomer, involving contacting reactant gases with a catalyst containing palladium, gold and a support in the presence of clean steam, the clean steam present from about 2 to about 10 psia, with the proviso that the support does not contain alumina or zinc oxide and the support is not treated with a sulfur containing compound. For example, the method of making vinyl acetate monomer may involve the reaction scheme:O.sub.2 +H.sub.2 O+CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 +CH.sub.3 CO.sub.2 H.fwdarw.CH.sub.3 CO.sub.2 CH.dbd.CH.sub.2 +H.sub.2 O.

Abstract: A process to produce terephthalic acid is provided, the process including the steps of: providing a feed stream comprising a dialkyl substituted aromatic and in an organic acid solvent: contacting the feed stream with an oxidant, the oxidant containing at least 50% by volume oxygen and at an oxygen partial pressure of at least 1 psia, at a temperature between about 80.degree. C. and about 130.degree. C.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of derivatives of halo-but-2-enoic acids and esters high in 2-ene content, several of which are novel. The esters and their derivatives are useful as promoters for the polymerization of ethylene or the copolymerization of ethylene with .alpha.-olefins and, optionally, nonconjugated polyenes. The promoters can also be combined with transition metal compounds, e.g., vanadium, to form combination promoter-catalyst compounds.

Abstract: Methods for the catalytic production of vinyl acetate monomer from ethane, ethylene or an ethane/ethylene mixture using a first catalyst containing MoVNbPd, MoVLaPdNbX (where X is Al, Ga, Ge or Si) or MoVNbX (where X is P, B, Hf, Te, As or mixtures thereof) in the first step of oxidation and using a conventional VAM catalyst for the second step. The method produces high yields to acetic acid and vinyl acetate without the coproduction of carbon monoxide.